Joshua] Moses had sonnes, yet of them God chooseth none to succeed their father; haply because they were Midianites by the mothers side, and not by both Parents Hebrews, as Joshua was; and because God foresaw the defection of Moses posteritie, Judg. 18. vers. 30. where we read of Micahs graven Image of the Tribe of Dan, and of the Idolatrous and superstitious service of that Idol by Levites of the posteritie of Moses, for so was Jonathan and Gershom; Jonathan, who is called in the Text forecited the sonne of Manasseh; but as some rather reade, Moses, supposing the Jews inserted the letter Nun to make the word Manasseh to save the honour of Moses; & in Arias Montanus, the letter Nun is set above the line, and the letters directly in the line without pricks, are the same with the name Moses.
lay thine hand] By which he resigned up his office unto him; and withall, no doubt, he prayed to God to put his Spirit upon him, whence is that saying of the consecrating of Joshua, Deuteronomy 34:9.